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Providing straightforward information pertaining to drugs, drug use & drug policy. The Grey Pages promotes drug-related literacy and advocates a system of viable and tolerant drug policies. This is my personal collection of commentaries, essays, tid-bits, and other such writings on everything ranging from drug use, drug policy and drug-myths, to drug-science, addiction, human behavior, and the workings of the human brain. I started this blog with a particular focus on opioids, and over the past year have found my interest gravitate toward the intriguing, ever-changing world of designer intoxicants (i.e. "research chemicals" or "designer drugs").

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Angry Drug Policy Rant

Calls for reforming drug policy continue becoming more common place. One might think this would be encouraging, however many of the proposed alternatives I am hearing leave me less than optimistic.

It seems more and more people try to show others how they too are "progressive" in their drug policy ideology. They throw around phrases like "end the war on drugs", "evidence based approaches", "rethink drug policy", "explore alternatives", and "pursue a multi-faceted drug policy". I find in all too many cases, this is just empty rhetoric. Many of these individuals speaking of sweeping reform in our drug laws are merely promoting repackaged strategies based on the same fundamental premises that have shaped drug policy for the last several decades.

The common denominator, among most of these "progressive" approaches being proposed, is the dogmatic premise that drugs are bad, drug users do not know what is best for them, and individuals must be somehow "kept from" consuming the drugs they like. In the minds of all too many "reformists", it still seems to go without saying that users of illicit drugs must be told how to live, and must have their personal choices made by others. Proposals for "progressive" reform continue to involve some variation on a predictable narrative of one party, who believe they know best, imposing their values on another party.

Those who foster such ideology have none of my respect or sympathy, regardless of their intentions.

Jailing more users, reducing demand, pouring our efforts into "treatment", or remedying the social problems which are assumed to lead to drug use - calls for such approaches are premised on the idea that one person (or rather, group of people) has the right to control another person (or group), and take for granted that individuals will submit to such tyranny.

Many just assume it's acceptable to use coercion to stop individuals from behaving in a manner in which we personally disapprove. And the justification for such coercion? The service of some ill defined "greater good", the notion that we must collectively do "our part" as individuals to live our lives in a way which feeds the greater socioeconomic system. We've abandoned the American principles of individualism for principles of fascism. So if one is to step outside of this current social system (by pursuing his own individual happiness), his failure to conform is declared a detriment to society as a whole, and he is subsequently forced into changing his ways - whether it be through punishment or through paternalism.

Yet it is fucking perversely anti-American to force treatment, spirituality, or jail on individuals for self-regarding conduct which in no palpable way deprives another of his rights. The "crime" of drug use has no identifiable victim. However, the snakes of prohibition have dealt with this inconvenience by muddying the standard for what constitutes harm to others in a dishonest quest to convince the public that drug use in fact does victimize others; they've shamefully deceived the public and grossly distorted logic, as well as data, to suggest that the social costs incurred by a relatively small percentage of criminals and otherwise irresponsible citizens who just so happen to use drugs somehow demonstrate that the act of drug use "harms society", and that everyone who sells or consumes certain drugs is contributing to these social costs and thus "victimizing" others.

The reasoning is beyond disingenuous, and those who continue to deliberately infect the public with such manipulative and deceptive ideology are fucking despicable. The drug warrior is an enemy of freedom, and an enemy of the American people.